“While aviation gets a massive tax break, support for buses has been cut. This will impact upon the lowest income households in Scotland, who are disproportionately dependent on bus services. But while bus investment is cut, the Cabinet Secretary has announced a huge tax cut for air travellers, who mainly come from the richest households.

“There is yet another huge increase in spending on roads, with the budget up to nearly £1 billion. With an 18% increase in the roads budget just in the past year, the Scottish Government continues to prioritise unsustainable transport.

“It’s very disappointing to see the active travel budget flatlining. We urgently need to see serious investment to meet the target of 10% of journeys by bike by 2020. Instead, in a transport budget which has risen overall by over £150m, the Cabinet Secretary has been unable to find any more funds for the most healthy and sustainable forms of transport.”

ENDS

**NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Transform Scotland

Transform Scotland is the national alliance for sustainable transport, bringing together rail, bus and ferry operators, local authorities, national environment and conservation groups, businesses and local transport groups — see <http://transformscotland.org.uk/who-we-are/our-members/> for details.